The night is cool, with a still-full moon stretching across the sky. On the roof of the New Haven Federal Credit Union, Tyler flexes his fingers, keeping himself limber. While it’s not too cold, it’s cold enough to affect accuracy with his bow if his hands start getting numb.

Down below, their bodies covered in black, the other three wait, remaining hidden. Linked by the bond that allows them limited telepathy over a short distance, Tyler serves as the eyes and ears of the team.

Not that Jacob likes it. What the fuck? It’s pushing eight o’clock!

And it looks like the party is still getting started, Tyler replies. Unclench thine sphincter.

Jacob growls, turning to Cole. “Now he’s copying you?”

Cole shrugs, his eyes carefully watching the ceremony. It’s a star-studded affair, from the looks of things, with many of New Haven’s well-to-do and what the Fae assume are celebrities in attendance. Television cameras dot the back of the square, where in front of a statue of a man on a horse, the mayor will make his speech.

Movement, west side of the square, Tyler says suddenly. Wait . . . vampires.

Take them out!

Cole’s command is too slow, as before the thought even leaves his mind, three arrows strike silently, impaling each vampire neatly through the eye and putting them down.

“That’s too close,” Noah whispers. “The west side of the square. They were less than two hundred feet from the ceremony.”

Cole nods, worried. If Eve’s team is waiting, knowing the vampires are supposed to be attacking, how could they let vampires get so close? The Fae had already seen at least a dozen, and if there were a dozen they saw, there had to be twice as many still in hiding.

“This so-called trap is very . . . dangerous,” Cole admits. “To the roof. We need more eyes on the scene.”

Two minutes later, all four Fae are on the roof, looking over the square. “Cole!” Jacob says, pointing. “Vampire. Shit!”

“What?” Cole asks, running over to Jacob. He gets there in time to see three police down, vampires over their bodies, feeding quickly before dragging them into the nearby alleyways.

“Those cops . . . it was like they weren’t even expecting it,” Jacob says, shaking his head. “Cole, this isn’t right. Something’s wrong—”

“More vampires,” Tyler says, nocking an arrow but releasing tension. “No shot. Two more police down.”

“Marcus,” Noah growls. “In the crowd.”

Cole looks, seeing Marcus at the edges of the crowd. He’s smiling, confident . . . and inside whatever perimeter the police have setup.

“It’s gone south,” Cole says, shrugging off his coat and unsheathing his sword. “Time to engage.”

“Good, I could use a little vampire—” Jacob says, but Cole cuts him off.

“No! To Eve. Her safety is our priority,” he reminds Jacob. “If anyone, human or vampire, gets in our way, there will be a use for your blades.”

Jacob nods, unsheathing his knives. “Fine. We protect Eve . . . and then we do what we do best.”